Fifteen People Sought Emergency Care Due To Fireworks Accidents

Fifteen people went to the emergency department at Landspítali in Fossvogur, Reykjavík, due to fireworks accidents on the night and early morning of January 1, reports Vísir. Of these, eight sought medical attention for eye injuries.

Páll Óli Ólason, deputy chief physician of the Landspítali emergency department, told Vísir that the injuries varied in severity. He noted that this year’s number is roughly similar to previous years, except for last New Year’s Eve, when only two people sought emergency care due to fireworks accidents.

“Of course, we don’t want to see this kind of increase, but it’s a similar number to what we’ve seen in previous years. We hope people treat fireworks with respect and take care,” said Páll Óli.

He added that the emergency department became busier as the evening and night progressed. “We are prepared for this, and overall it went well for us.”

In addition to fireworks accidents, emergency staff also treated a man who was stabbed in Reykjavík on the same night.